This invention relates to an apparatus and method for imprinting a vial. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, this invention relates to an offset printing system and method for printing onto a vial.
A method of producing a series of interconnected vials was disclosed in my co-pending continuation-in-part patent application bearing Ser. No. 10/799,968, filed on 10 Mar. 2004 which is incorporated herein by reference. The vials produced by the method and apparatus are interconnected. The vials can be filled with a material. In one preferred embodiment, the vials can be filled with a medicine. The vials can then be heat sealed so that the material is held within a self-contained unit.
Users of the vials will require information of the type of material contained within the container. In the situations wherein the vials contain medicine, certain information such as type of medicine, dosage amount, manufacturer, expiration date, etc. is very important. Additionally, the number of vials filled and the lot from which material originated is also very important. Prior art techniques including printing onto a label, and then placing the label onto the vial. However, this is undesirable for several reasons. First, the placement of the labels onto the vials is a highly inefficient and time consuming. Additionally, the type of ink used must not be toxic or environmentally unsafe since the ink has a possibility of contaminating the material contained within vial, or alternatively, the ink making the outer portion of the vial unsanitary.
Hence, there is a need for an apparatus to imprint onto a vial. There is a further need to imprint onto a series of interconnected vials. Still further, there is a need to imprint a label that is safe to the user and the environment. There is also a need to print onto a plastic article that is irregular in size and shape. These and many other needs will be met by the following invention.